Little was in command of the first cutter. He obeyed the order of Perth, though he saw it would be a losing game for his boat. In less than half an hour the Josephine came up with him. The wind was due east, which gave the vessel every advantage, and she came about under the lee of the cutter.
"Hold water! Back her!" shouted Little, who had prepared his plan of operations, and intended to pull dead to windward of her, so that she would have to go in stays before she could come up with the boat again.
Peaks spoiled his plan by throwing a boat grapnel into the fore-sheets of the cutter, and hauling her alongside of the Josephine as her sails shook in the wind. Cleats dropped into the boat, and, leaping aft, seized Little by the collar. Gage followed him, and ten of the runaways were captured. Mr. Fluxion ordered them on board the vessel, and the two men in the boat expedited their movements by some rather rough usage.
The vice-principal said nothing to the discomfited crew of the first cutter, but gave his orders to chase the second cutter. As the Josephine approached her, Peaks and Gage, with two of the stewards, were sent off in the first cutter as the vessel lay to. They grappled the boat, and as no one thought of resisting Peaks, they were readily captured, and driven upon the deck of the schooner. The third cutter was taken with no more difficulty. A few moments later, the Josephine luffed up under the lee of the gig, having towed the first cutter, in which the four men were seated, to this position. The boat pulled towards the runaways. Perth was desperate when he saw how easily he was to be captured.
"Bat them over the head with your oars, fellows!" shouted he. "Don't let them take you!"
The oarsmen attempted to obey this order, and to beat off their pursuers. A brief struggle ensued, in which Perth and Phillips fought with desperation; but Peaks succeeded in getting into the gig, and the strife was ended. With a blow of his fist the stalwart boatswain justified the traditions of himself, and Perth was knocked senseless in the bottom of the boat, while Phillips, with a bleeding face, yielded the day. The runaways in the gig were driven to the deck, as their companions had been, while Perth was handed up by the grim Peaks, put in his berth, and attended by Dr. Carboy.
The long-cherished scheme of Little had ended in disaster, and all hands had been captured. The runaways looked at each other with a sort of astonishment when they found themselves on board again. Doubtless they were satisfied that they had not bettered their condition by what they had done. They obeyed whatever orders were given them, for the terrible Peaks had verified all the stories told of him. He had knocked Perth insensible, and badly damaged Phillips. It was not safe to refuse to do duty, as some of them, in their chagrin, wished to do.
As soon as the boats were hoisted up, and the Josephine headed on her course again, all hands were piped to muster. By this time Perth was able to appear, for he had only been stunned by the boatswain's fist. A savage lecture from the vice-principal was expected; but instead of that, every one of the crew was searched. Perth's twenty pounds was discovered and confiscated, as well as numerous bills on Paris, letters of credit, and similar valuable papers. The conspirators had put them in their pockets to use on shore. Without any further notice of the affair of the night, the vice-principal stationed the watch, and dismissed the rest of the crew.
Mr. Fluxion probably acted on the principle of the celebrated schoolmaster who charged all the faults of his pupils upon himself. If Cleats had not left the deck, the conspiracy could not have been even partially successful, and he charged all the blame upon him. After the affair he increased his own vigilance, adding Dr. Carboy to one watch, and the head steward to the other, so that another attempt to escape must certainly fail.
"I never believed much in that plan," said Herman, the next day, as he and Perth met on deck.